![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/8c89e7bd05ab026309f2c372445467cf.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nTwo Brisbane surgeons accused of involvement in a multimillion-dollar kick back scheme have been hit with a raft of conditions by a health regulator. <\/p>\n
Ashgrove neurosurgeon Dr Richard William Laherty is facing charges of corruption and two counts each of misconduct in relation to a public office and false or misleading receipt or account. <\/p>\n
The other surgeon entangled in the alleged scheme, Dr Dihan Taranga Aponso, is charged with two counts each of corruption and misconduct in relation to public office.<\/p>\n
They were targeted by the Crime and Corruption Commission over a scheme allegedly operated by medical equipment company director Elliott Charles Lacaze. <\/p>\n
Prosecutors allege Lacaze offered the surgeons kickbacks for use of MediVance equipment while performing surgeries <\/p>\n
They claim Lacaze benefited a total of $2.8m over the span of eight years on the back of deals made with Laherty and Aponso. <\/p>\n
Laherty who was allegedly a financial part-owner of MediVance at the time is accused of failing to declare a conflict of interest while ordering and using products from the company and providing false information to the Health Ombudsman. <\/p>\n
Earlier this month the ombudsman\u2019s office said it took immediate action against Laherty by imposing a number of conditions on his medical practitioner\u2019s registration.<\/p>\n
This includes submitting to quarterly audits of records pertaining to surgical devices\/hardware and patient records whose treatments have involved these devices in surgery. <\/p>\n
According to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website the audit\u2019s purpose is to assess whether any conflict of interest in the ordering of the surgical devices\/hardware exists and whether any conflict of interest has been disclosed to patients. <\/p>\n
The conditions stipulate Laherty is unable to practice unless he provides his employer or similar details of the alleged conduct that gave rise to these conditions.<\/p>\n
Aponso, a Brookfield spinal surgeon, had almost identical conditions imposed on his registration last Tuesday however the audits are to be biannual. <\/p>\n
The ombudsman\u2019s office said it had a formal information sharing agreement with Queensland Police regarding health practitioners.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the OHO is informed by QPS that a health practitioner has been charged with a criminal offence, the OHO takes steps to assess the potential risk posed by the practitioner to public health and safety,\u201d a spokesman said.<\/p>\n
Where necessary, the Health Ombudsman may take immediate action, such as suspending or imposing conditions on the practitioner\u2019s registration to ensure the safety of the public and\/ or to maintain public confidence while the matter is investigated.<\/p>\n
The men were charged by the Crime and Corruption Commission in December as part of Investigation Barzona, along with finance manager Alana Jane Clayton.<\/p>\n
She is charged with two counts each of giving or offering a benefit to a public officer and fraud (dishonestly gain a benefit\/advantage value of at least $100,000). <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Investigators allege she gave money to both Laherty and Aponso in exchange for them using the MediVance surgical devices at the PA Hospital. <\/p>\n
No formal pleas have been entered.<\/p>\n
The matters remain in Brisbane Magistrates Court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two Brisbane surgeons accused of involvement in a multimillion-dollar kick back scheme have been hit with a 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